PEORIA -- It was new heroes, same foe, same result for the Peoria Rivermen in an SPHL rematch Saturday against the Mississippi Surge.

Rookie goaltender Kevin Carr made his pro debut, rookie defenseman Ben Oskroba notched his first pro point -- and later, his first pro goal -- and debuting veteran center Chris Greene put up two assists and created multiple scoring chances to keep the Rivermen in the hunt for home-ice advantage in the playoff chase.

Peoria winger Steve Morra delivered a goal and two assists as Greene's linemate and the Rivermen put up 22 first-period shots and rolled past the Surge, 4-1, before 4,427 at Carver Arena.

"It was great to play with him," Morra said of Greene, who joined the Rivermen for the first time Saturday after coming down from the CHL. "He sees the ice so well, creates scoring chances. He's so smart and patient."

Carr, signed out of Buffalo State on Friday, had a solid debut, growing calmer and better as the game wore on to help the Rivermen earn points in their 11th straight home game and remain tied for fourth in the SPHL.

"I was nervous," he said. "But I felt settled in there by the second period. It's a little different game, coming in from college. You are only as good as your last game, at this level, so my thoughts now are on focusing toward the next game."

The Rivermen took a 1-0 lead at 5:37 of the first period when winger Adam Hartley took a feed from Morra and redirected it along the ice from the right hashmarks past goaltender Mathieu Dugas.

The Surge tied it at 8:25 on a power play when defenseman Evan Zych's wrister from the high slot was deflected up and in by 6-foot-6 defenseman Bill Baker.

Peoria re-took the lead at 17:44 when defenseman Joe Schiller's drive from above the right circle forced a rebound, which Morra buried from the doorstep.

The Rivermen earned a two-minute five-on-three after a strange set of calls from referee Robert Lukkason, who looked at a pair of fights after a doorstep scrum and handed out six roughing penalties -- including doubles to the two Mississippi players involved.

Peoria did nothing with it, producing two shots and then going the next 7:30 without a shot on goal.

The Rivermen regrouped before the period ended, though, and took a 3-1 lead when Oskroba's one-timer from the high slot off a pass from Parker Stanfield sailed past Dugas through a screen.

It was the first pro goal for Oskroba, who earlier in the game picked up an assist for his first pro point.

The Rivermen put it away at 14:51 of the third period when Matt Viola charged in and cut across the doorstep to slip the puck through Dugas for a 4-1 lead.

Page 2 of 2 - RIVER READINGS: The Rivermen released winger Justin Alonzo on Saturday afternoon. They acquired him in a Feb. 24 trade with Pensacola for defenseman Tyler Amburgey. Alonzo, who had 22 points in 36 games for Pensacola, had no points in four games for Peoria. ... Rivermen defenseman Joe Schiller saved a goal in the third period, reaching behind Carr to stop the puck just before it slid across the line. ... Peoria defenseman Adam Feniak returned to the lineup from injury, while big Rivermen defenseman Jarrett Rush was rested. ... Rivermen scoring leader Garrett Vermeersch had a home pointscoring streak snapped at 10 games.

Dave Eminian covers the Rivermen for the Journal Star. Reach him at 686-3206 or deminian@pjstar.com. Follow him on Twitter @icetimecleve.